Tracking perceived stress, anxiety, and depression in daily life: a double-downward spiral process

Abstract

IntroductionPrevious studies using retrospective questionnaires have suggested a complex relationship between perceived stress and related negative emotions and emphasized their importance in mental health. However, how daily perceived stress, anxiety, and depression interact dynamically in a natural context remains largely unexplored.MethodsThis study conducted a longitudinal survey that applied experience sampling methodology to data from 141 Chinese college students (58% women, mean age = 20.1 ± 1.63 years).ResultsThe hierarchical linear models confirmed that daily perceived stress and negative emotions (i.e., perceived depression and anxiety) could reciprocally reinforce one another with the characteristic dynamics of a cognitive–emotional downward spiral. Additionally, anxiety and depression could further circularly aggravate each other imminently. These two intertwined downward-spiral processes constitute a double-downward-spiral model.DiscussionThe findings contribute to a better understanding of the interactive mechanisms underlying perceived stress and its related negative emotions in everyday life and highlight the significance of early emotion regulation and stress relief in healthy people.

Psychometric properties of the Perceived Stress Scale-4 (PSS-4) in Colombians with university education

“…Fifthly, to evaluate the predictive validity of the PSS-4 on a set of psychological variables (resilience, posttraumatic growth, anxiety, and depression). As in previous studies (APA, 2023; Feng et al, 2023; Finstad et al, 2021; Gómez-Acosta et al, 2023), PSS-4 scores were expected to significantly predict resilience, posttraumatic growth scores, anxiety, and depression (hypothesis 5).…”

“…The fifth objective was to evaluate the predictive validity of the PSS-4 on a set of psychological variables (resilience, posttraumatic growth, anxiety, and depression,). The PSS-4 has an adequate capacity to predict possible depressive and anxiety symptoms (APA, 2023; Feng et al, 2023), as well as acceptable levels of prediction of protective factors such as resilience (Finstad et al, 2021) and post-traumatic growth (Gómez-Acosta et al, 2023), confirming hypothesis 5. Accordingly, the ultra-brief version of the PSS-4 could be used as an input to obtain possible indicators of mental health impairment and for the development of primary care actions, particularly in Colombian professionals exposed to multiple psychosocial stressors in the different work environments where they work (Stringer, 2023a), such as precarious employment contracts, long working hours, lack of social benefits and performance of their duties in dangerous contexts, among others (Gómez-Acosta et al, 2022).…”

“…In congruence with results reported in other studies (Vallejo et al, 2018; Warttig et al, 2013; Ruisoto et al, 2020), the PSS-4 scores are expected to be positively correlated with anxiety and depression and negatively with post-traumatic growth and resilience (hypothesis 4). Fifthly, to evaluate the predictive validity of the PSS-4 on a set of psychological variables (resilience, posttraumatic growth, anxiety, and depression). As in previous studies (APA, 2023; Feng et al, 2023; Finstad et al, 2021; Gómez-Acosta et al, 2023), PSS-4 scores were expected to significantly predict resilience, posttraumatic growth scores, anxiety, and depression (hypothesis 5). Sixthly, to test the relationship between the PPS-4 scores with socio-demographic characteristics of this sample. Based on the results from previous psychometric studies (Vallejo et al, 2018; Warttig et al, 2013; Ruisoto et al, 2020) and from a known-groups validity approach, it was expected that females, older individuals, those with lower incomes, or those unemployed would exhibit higher PSS-4 scores (hypothesis 6).…”

“…For many years, psychological stress has been linked to negative health status, due to increased allostatic load through psychophysiological reactivity (Sanz et al, 2007), epigenetic mechanisms (Gómez-Acosta & Londoño, 2021; Lee et al, 2023; Mauss & Jarkzoc, 2021; Zhu et al, 2023), and poor mental health outcomes (Feng et al, 2023). In fact, there is evidence that chronic psychological stress is associated with 75-90% of health conditions (Liu et al, 2017).…”

“…A timely assessment with an adequate approach constitutes an invaluable contribution to a reduction of psychological stress as a risk factor of suicide, as referred to in the extended Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2030 (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021), and for buffering the development of emotional disorders, such as depression, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (Cuijpers et al, 2008; Feng et al, 2023; Xiong et al, 2020). In this context, it is important to have reliable, valid, and brief screening tools for measuring psychological stress (Golberg et al, 2017).…”